Match Pack: Saints vs Swansea
It's a first outing in the Emirates FA Cup for Saints this season, welcoming Championship side Swansea City to St Mary's Stadium on Sunday. Get set for the Swans with our Match Pack...
THE MATCH
Saints vs Swansea City
Emirates FA Cup
St Mary's Stadium
Sunday 12th January, 4.30pm GMT
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: Tony Harrington
Assistant referees: Marc Perry and Sian Massey-Ellis
Fourth official: Gavin Ward
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
Sunday's fixture will provide Ivan Jurić's side with a much-needed change of focus from the Premier League, returning to St Mary's in Emirates FA Cup action with a chance to build some confidence and momentum going into a busy domestic schedule.
Visiting Swansea currently sit 12th in the Championship and will also be looking at Sunday's third round tie as an opportunity to kick on after two wins, two defeats and a draw in their last five games.
Saints have progressed past this stage of the competition in each of the last five seasons, so will be looking to continue their recent record.
TEAM NEWS
Jurić vowed to go with his strongest side for this weekend's FA Cup opener, stating: "We’re working a lot to find our identity and we’ll see on Sunday how hard we’ve been working."
Defender Armel Bella-Kotchap has been training as part of the group once more, but the manager remained tight lipped on his return, stating ""We will see."
THE MANAGERS
Ivan Jurić: "I think the players are working hard and well and I think we have to find a way to be much more competitive. We’re working a lot to find our identity and we’ll see on Sunday how hard we’ve been working.
"I think for us [the FA Cup] is really important. We need the joy of playing good games. For us in this moment everything is important."
Luke Williams: "We will be showing respect to the competition, that’s for sure. It is a change of pace and a chance for glory.
“That’s what the cup is about, and I hope we can make something exciting for our fans. It’s a chance to spice things up and give different experiences, and we have that chance."
TOP SCORERS
Southampton
Goals:
Cameron Archer 5
Armstrong, Harwood-Bellis 3
Dibling, Aribo, Fernandes, Bree 2
Assists:
Mateus Fernandes 3
Armstrong, Dibling, Walker-Peters, Lallana, Taylor 2
Sugawara, Kamaldeen 1
Swansea
Goals:
Liam Cullen 9
Zan Vipotnik 4
Seven players 2
Assists:
Ronald 6
Darling, Tymon, Peart-Harris 3
Key, Eom, Cooper 2
ONES TO WATCH
Mateus Fernandes: Saints will need to win the midfield battle if they are to assert their authority on Swansea from the off, this is something ball-carrying Portuguese international Fernandes will be key for.
The 20-year-old averages 2.83 progressive carries per 90 minutes this season, ranking him in the top four percent of players in his position across positional peers in Men's Big 5 Leagues, UCL, UEL over the last 365 days.
Ronald: An exciting young midfielder who can play on either flank, the Brazilian has contributed seven assists this season to Luke Williams' side.
Coming up to a year in Wales, Ronald boasts an average WhoScored? rating of just under 7 this season, proving to be a consistent threat.
HEAD TO HEAD
Played: 75
Saints: 38
Draws: 16
Swansea: 21
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
January 2024: Swansea 1-3 Saints (Adams, Smallbone, Downes)
December 2023: Saints 5-0 Swansea (Fraser 2, Aribo, Edozie, Adams)
January 2022: Swansea 2-3 Saints (Redmond, Elyounoussi, Long) FA Cup
May 2018: Swansea 0-1 Saints (Gabbiadini)
August 2017: Saints 0-0 Swansea
DID YOU KNOW?
- Saints have won each of their last five FA Cup third round ties, since going out to Derby County after a replay in 2018-19.
- Swansea have lost each of their last four meetings with Saints in all competitions, going down 5-0 on their last visit to St Mary’s in December 2023.
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